Comments on: Ann Arbor Council Defers Action Again http://annarborchronicle.com/2011/05/24/ann-arbor-council-defers-action-again/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=ann-arbor-council-defers-action-again it's like being there Tue, 16 Sep 2014 04:56:38 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.2 By: ChuckL http://annarborchronicle.com/2011/05/24/ann-arbor-council-defers-action-again/comment-page-1/#comment-66295 ChuckL Thu, 26 May 2011 02:59:27 +0000 http://annarborchronicle.com/?p=64462#comment-66295 The Chronicle’s treatment of the issues raised by Mr. Ranzini promulgates uncritically disinformation put out by the current city administration. It is clear from the comments from city officials that they are very defensive of their turf and resent anyone in the city from second guessing their policy decisions. The comments represent a lot of blowing smoke and it looks like Ann Arbor is competing with Chicago for the title of “Windy City.” In particular, there was no discussion of the magnitudes of the dollars involved; it would not take much to restore the proposed fire fighter positions currently on the chopping block. The City of Ann Arbor has seen its tax revenue climb faster that inflation over the last 10 years even taking into account the Great Recession and the loss of Pfizer. Why could the Ann Arbor of 2001 afford about 120 full time fire-fighters but the Ann Arbor of 2011 afford less than 90 even though in inflation adjusted terms the city is collecting more in property tax now than then?

The city has millage renewals coming up for parks and road repair and voters in Ann Arbor should make clear that these renewals will go down in flames if the city insists on sticking to spending priorities that are at odds with the needs of the public. The decision to cut fire fighters is a policy decision and reflects a preference rather than external conditions being forced on the city by circumstances beyond its control! Don’t be fooled by the smoke the city officials are blowing!

]]> By: A2Eastsider http://annarborchronicle.com/2011/05/24/ann-arbor-council-defers-action-again/comment-page-1/#comment-66255 A2Eastsider Wed, 25 May 2011 15:40:09 +0000 http://annarborchronicle.com/?p=64462#comment-66255 My concern as a tax payer and as somebody who parks down town occasionally (yet doesn’t feel the need to constantly carp about it) is that when the City was responsible for maintenance of parking that the structures were wretchedly maintained. I believe that some were even condemed. The DDA has done a good job of maintaning/improving parking facilities, even if reluctantly shouldering the burden. My fear is that if responsiblility for maintaining parking goes back to the City, the urge to raid the money set aside for managing and maintenance will be too great. Kunselman is already heading down that path. All he has to do is say it’s for the Police or for Firefighters and it makes it almost impossible to oppose such a raid. As funding for maintenance starts to drift into other things, facilities will begin to deteriorate. As structures get creepier, fewer people will be willing to use them and fewer people will come downtown. It’s not possible for everybody to park right in front of where they want to go. Well maintained structures are important.

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